HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – As the nation honors National Veterans and Military Families Month, local author Charlotte Cosby used the occasion to share her new children’s book, Bloom: The Military Child’s Journey. Cosby, a military spouse and mother of eleven, wrote the story to help military kids cope with the constant relocations that define service‑family life.
From teacher to author
Cosby began her career as a public‑school teacher in Missouri. A chance invitation to a Tuskegee Airmen event led her to meet a pilot who later became her husband. He served 30 years as a test pilot in the Air Force, retiring as a colonel. Over those three decades, the family moved nearly thirty times, including an overseas posting in Rome, Italy.
Life on the move
Cosby recalls moving from California to Florida while eight children were at home and she was eight months pregnant with her ninth. “Each thing, you just had to do it, and that was it. No time to cry,” she said, noting how spouses must quickly build community on a new base.
Her own mother, a single parent who moved frequently, taught her the importance of resilience. Cosby attended six elementary schools herself and says, “You don’t hold on to the attachments. You hold on to each other.”
Why “Bloom” matters
The idea for the book came from Cosby’s children, who have been writing and illustrating stories since they were young. “It was even their idea to write the first book,” she explained. Her nine‑year‑old daughter Alana illustrated the final work.
When the family received three weeks’ notice to relocate across the country, a local librarian asked for a book to help a boy whose mother was deploying. Cosby responded, “Let’s get this out there because there are other kids who feel exactly the same way you guys did.” The resulting story follows a military family unpacking in a new home while a parent prepares to deploy, weaving practical lessons from Cosby’s own experience.
Beyond “Bloom”
Cosby’s other titles include Investments, a guide for parents covering women’s health and parenting transitions, and Dad’s Mission, which recounts astronaut Col. Frederick Gregory’s historic space‑shuttle flight. A youth‑friendly edition of Dad’s Mission is available in both English and Spanish.
All of Cosby’s books are sold at the Blue Apple Bookstore in Madison and through major retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon. She also speaks at schools, daycares, and churches throughout North Alabama, offering a faith‑centered perspective on resilience and community.
Supporting military families
Cosby hopes her work will lessen the isolation many military children feel. “I want most of them to feel like, you know what? I’m not alone,” she said. Her story underscores the broader mission of National Veterans and Military Families Month: to recognize the sacrifices of service families and to provide resources that help them thrive.
Readers can connect with Charlotte Cosby and her publishing imprint, In Writing Publications, via Facebook, TikTok, and Threads. Alana Cosby’s illustrations are showcased on Instagram. The full interview is available at the top of the WAFF page.
Original reporting: WAFF 48 Huntsville (news) — read the source article.
